Fullerton, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited act
- dumping litter on public or private land
- No-permission dumping
- §5.13.020(C) targets land of another
- Penalty classification
- misdemeanor, no infraction option
- Adopted
- Ord. 3147 (2010); Ord. 2825 (1992)
- Covers
- garbage, refuse, rubbish, dead animals
Summary
Fullerton Municipal Code Chapter 5.13 bans throwing, placing or depositing litter, garbage, refuse or rubbish on any public street, alley or place, or on private land without the owner's permission. Every violation of the chapter is charged as a misdemeanor under § 5.13.030, whether the dumping happens on city property or someone else's land.
(A) No person shall throw, place, scatter or deposit any litter in or upon any public alley, street or highway, or other public place in the city except as authorized elsewhere in this code.
(B) No person shall throw, place, scatter or deposit any litter upon or below the surface of any premises in the city in such a manner that the same is, or may become a nuisance or endanger the public health.
(C) No person shall place or deposit in the city, upon the land of another without permission, any litter. (Ord. 3147, passed - -2010) § 5.13.030 PENALTY. Any violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
010 defines LITTER broadly as garbage, refuse and rubbish, plus 'all other waste material which, if thrown or deposited, as herein prohibited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare,' and separately defines GARBAGE as putrescible food waste, REFUSE as putrescible and nonputrescible solid waste including dead animals and abandoned automobiles, and RUBBISH as combustible and noncombustible items like paper, cans, yard clippings, wood and glass. 020 sets out three distinct prohibitions: subsection (A) bars throwing, placing, scattering or depositing litter in or upon any public alley, street, highway or other public place except where otherwise authorized by the code; subsection (B) bars depositing litter on or below the surface of any premises in the city in a manner that creates a nuisance or endangers public health, meaning dumping on one's own land can also violate the chapter; and subsection (C) separately targets placing or depositing litter 'upon the land of another without permission,' covering the classic illegal-dumping scenario of leaving debris on a neighbor's or vacant lot owner's property. The chapter, adopted by Ord. 3147 in 2010 with roots back to Ord. 14's separate solid waste collection rules.
Violations & Fines
Section 5.13.030 makes 'any violation of this chapter' a misdemeanor, with no infraction option carved out, meaning first-time dumping on a street, an empty lot, or someone else's property can be charged criminally rather than cited as a lesser infraction. Misdemeanors under Fullerton's code are prosecutable by the City Attorney and carry the fine and jail exposure set for Title 5 offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on someone else's property illegal in Fullerton?
What counts as litter under Fullerton's dumping ordinance?
Can dumping on your own property still violate this ordinance?
What is the penalty for illegal dumping in Fullerton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle illegal dumping.